Poison Prince
by Constance-Lirit
Summary: Madara x OC - A developing Japan is a wonderous place for new ideas and rules of way, but sometimes new things don't always go to plan. When a new maid joins the working force for the royal family, everything just goes hay-wire.
1. Words of Wisdom

Hello my friends, here is a dictionary of the language used. Enjoy ^_^ It will be updated as new words appear. If I miss any, do tell me and I will add it to the dictonary.

Shimobe - servant  
Bokunakama - fellow servant  
Ue - above (denotes high levels of respect)  
Tono - Lord / master  
Shi - unfamiliar to speaker  
No kimi - determine lord / lady in court  
Tenno - emperor  
Sumera-Mikoto - heavenly sovereign  
Ouken - royalty  
Heika - majesty  
Denka - royal highness (non-sovereign royalty)  
Hidenka - prince

Kakka - your Excellency  
Kensei - warrior of legendary skill in swords  
Hime - princess  
Kouhi - queen  
Touji - Lady

Otosama - father  
Dokutoru - doctor


	2. Chapter 1

A long time ago in the distant past the Uchiha family lived, ruling over the common peasants of Japan. The castle over looking every village like the great mountain Fuji, inside of the castle walls the prince and his family lived together. Their barons of the land at close quarters below them, each ruling over a part of ancient Konoha for their own needs. At the moment it was going to be princes birthday soon, however what could he possibly want if he had everything he always wanted already?  
Sitting in a study room he glares steadily at each person in the room, the sunlight through the window casting over his pale god-like features. No one in the room dared to speak unless told otherwise, their eyes shifting between each other while they waited for the young Uchiha to state what it was he desired. From his large leather chair he had sunk further into its back, staring blankly at his knees in heavy thought.

"Give me ideas" he states, finally speaking and letting his harsh voice echo through the room. Swirling the exquisite red tea in his hand while he waits, the men around him had already exhausted any possible ideas.  
"Maybe you could take a holiday to somewhere nice? I heard the Sakura trees in the fire country are very pretty at this point in time…" Zetsu timidly begins, their lords crimson eyes jerking quickly to stare emotionlessly at the plant-like baron. The sheer stare sent searing hot and cold flashes down his veins and spine, gulping the prince looks away with disdain. He had a courtyard outside full of the finest plants from all around Japan, he didn't have to leave the castle to get that. Waiting patiently another subordinate speaks up, Tobi, his almost jester-like equivalent for a cousin.

"Maybe you can have a party, then people would bring you surprise presents?" pausing he thinks about it, but then glares icily. They would be bringing him surprise presents anyway, they always did bring him the most pointless junk in the whole of Japan, every year for the party he had to host.  
"Why not look at possible wives?" his father, the king, states. He had been trying to get his son to marry someone for a long time now, the problem was that no woman seemed good enough to the prince.  
"Wives?…" he utters under his breath, someone he could torment to the void of insanity? A single fine black eyebrow slowly raising up, he'd just get bored of his wife after a few days. He could always hang her. That would be a fun sport - to set her up against his prized pet Kyuubi, and see who could win. "Ah…" a cruel smirk growing up his lips, now he knew what he wanted to do. "I want to destroy a village…Kyuubi is getting bored of his confinements" turning his eyes up he looks across at his administrator of war, Deidara.

"Or…we could have a show-down" shifting his line-sight to Kakuzu he pauses, watching the masked and tanned man while he taps his fingers on the table. His many jewel encrusted rings shining in the sunlight, while a grin comes up his face.  
"We could have the finest women from each village come to you, if none of them can entertain you at least once; you take their riches and set Kyuubi on them…" he only had his eyes on the money, like usual his treasure-master was fiddling with a golden coin between his finger and thumb. Rolling the solid metal against the wooden table so that is makes a scraping sound.

"They can come here to the castle, each village sends one contestant. One attempt to impress you with something…if not one person in Konoha can do this you can choose any village you like, and you can destroy it" Itachi states in a bored monotone, watching as his cousin rubs his chin. His onyx eyes glowing with a threatening evil, an amused grin on his lips to such a thought.  
"Fine. Make sure each village is informed" looking around he examines the fine curtains, his eyes casting down to the luxurious red and black carpets beneath his feet. Everything around him was spotless and immaculate, glancing back up no one dares to look into his eyes without permission.  
"Perhaps, my dear son, even find a wife" the old man chuckles, drinking from his expensive tea. The young prince grumbling as he twists his head to look out the window, down below from the fresh air to where there was nothing but darkness.

Down below where there is nothing but noisy crowds and tormented poverty, poor payment for cheap jobs and prostitution. That was to be expected when you lived on the dark side of the castle, depending on the direction of the village stated your wealth here in Konoha. However only the luckiest of people lived in the brightness, elsewhere in the darkness the poorest of peasants scurried around.  
Foraging for any food they could find, the darkness blocked out all the sunlight and so no crops could grow. Many of the Animan women worked as geisha, any of them who were too young or unable to practise such a thing had to work in other ways. Some attempted to sell what they could of live stalk, while others cleaned for the rich until their bones ached.  
There is one young girl who had lived alone in the neat but poor villages outside of the kingdom for a long time, the farm she once had had grown to nothing more than weeds. Her clothes turning to nothing more than a tattered brown and white kimono, her neighbours had already moved to the cities in hope of work.

Pulling mushrooms from the ground the young mouse like girl twitches her ears, the long pink tail behind her waving gently while she looked for any other kinds of food. Out here nothing but birds and wild animals kept the silence from tickling her ears, the unforgivable sun scorching everything around her. Playing with the straw hat on her head she puts her scraps into a woven basket, the contents containing mostly roots and nuts.  
There wasn't much to eat, but there was enough to get her through the small days of the year. Her mother and father had already passed away leaving her alone, and anyone she knew lived far away in a distant village. Glancing along the winding earth path from her farm she blinks, observing a large bulk coming towards her quickly. Rocks and dust being kicked up behind them, blinking she slits her large blue eyes.

"Who's that?" the young mouse whispers, holding the basket close to her chest. When it finally comes into range the great black horse suddenly stops, the movement causing the girl to fall backwards and drop her collected food with a gasp.  
"Wench, are you Kasa Shika?" the noble enquires, watching her trying to gain the little composure she had. Nodding at him cautiously while she stands up a scroll is thrown into her hands. "You have been accepted as a slave to the castle, your new adviser will be expecting you at the time on the parchment. Be late, and you will lose your head" he snaps, twisting on his horse to steady it once more.

Galloping off down the dusty track he leaves her in the wind, worried but excited as she opens the scroll to read it over. Thinking about it calmly to herself Kasa looks down at her ragged clothes, even if she was going to be a servant she still didn't have anything to wear. Apparently she had a week to get to the castle, kneeling the albino mouse starts grabbing everything into her basket. Rubbing the berries against her dress to make them shiny, walking back towards the house she opens the rickety door.  
The smell of oats and hay intruding her nostrils while she slips inside, the darkness held back by the small circular windows on the walls. Placing her straw hat on the wooden table in the kitchen she pulls jars out, rolling different foods into each before putting them on the broken shelves. Kasa knew she would miss this cottage, even if the wooden roof was collapsing in on its self.  
Picking up hand made soap with herbs stuck in it she sniffs the pepper bar, walking down to the lake she glances about. There would be no one here but it didn't mean she couldn't make sure, stripping off she gets into the cool water with a sigh.

Washing herself and then her clothes, she had to be careful with this dress because it was her only one. She had a sneaking feeling the castle would clothe her as well, but she did have to make a good impress on her first day. Spending hours scrubbing the dirt from her pure white hair in the lake she grunts, sometimes having fair white hair just didn't help.  
After a good two hours the mouse finally scrubs the grass stains from her knees, a few insects watching her from the grass while she climbs back out. The water drowning the soil at her feet while she tries to dry herself off, she hadn't brought a towel so had to stand waiting for the wind to do its work. Back in her house that night she sits by the crackling fire, stitching her dress to cover up the patches with more ragged squares.  
To cover it up she had tied an apron over her kimono, she had seen the dresses the servants had to wear before. They were apparently the new fashion, short and snappy. It had everyone gocking and gasping at first, it showed the woman's bottom legs.

After that the castle did something absurd, they removed the long sleeves to show the arms, and then their collar bone. The whole kingdom was unsure when the prince would stop, soon his servants would all be naked. Shuddering she looks at her thin arms, she wasn't sure if she had the guts to show so much skin. Even just showing her ankles was frowned upon, of course no one would notice because its been around for a good year now. Women out of the castle even picked up the style, if they had the money to buy the dresses of course.  
Pulling at her wet hair she runs her fingers through it, her sisters would sometimes call her a princess. Only the finest of ladies could get their hair as long as she had grown it, but even then that was a problem. Because it as so long she always had it tied up and hidden under her straw hat. If she left it down she would get knots in it, and she had to keep her hair clean for as long as possible. There was only so many times she could stand in the buff in the wilderness, she could never tell if someone might walk past and see her.

On the first few days after getting the letter, Kasa had gone out to the closest villages, raking through the bins in search of clothes people had thrown out. To her luck she had found a new hat to protect her from the sun, gloves for her hands when she did the weeding, and new socks to wear with her dress.  
Packing everything she would need into a small bag Kasa picks up a mirror, the paint from the plants on the back chipping away and fading. Looking into her reflection she rubs colours onto her eyelids, she had ground up petals to make the colour because she had no make-up.  
Looking at the sun rising she pulls the bag onto her shoulder, her long pink tail wrapping around it as she leaves the house. Leaving now gave her three days to get to the castle, she had given herself an extra day because anything could happen. Each village was more dangerous than the next, her first stop was the most violent of them all.

People of all kinds came there to gamble, drink and have sex. A lot of people had been killed by the castles guards when they came here, all of them wanting to pick a fight with the princes or noblemen. The dark and toxic streets shadowing her in shaded fear, to her luck no one noticed her and ignored her presence. After a nights walk she had managed to escape through the marshlands, by days break she could see the fine walls of the castles main town. Unlike anything she had ever seen before everything here was clean.

The horses tied up in stables while the people of the town strut in upper-class garments, from the very instant she entered the immaculate wooden and stone gates she caught glimpses of the new fashions. Each figure amazing and more scandalous than the next, examining everyone as she walked through the town she gapes her mouth. By the time she had gotten to the front of the castle, everything was pure white in her eyes.  
The electric blue of her iris flickering in awe while she takes everything in with astonishment, the only letdown was that the clouds where thick and harsh here, everything was polluted. Spotting a child her ears flick up and then back down, even they were in finer clothing than herself. Pushing her sunhat further down her forehead, she dodges horses and other big creatures.

Gradually the young mouse climbs the elusive hill, wearily rubbing her forehead by the time she got to the bridge at the top. Walking along the wooden panels she looks down through the cracks, the water below was so far away it made her feel ill. Skittering past a man with short raven hair and an orange mask she smiles, stopping to backtrack and look at him with shock. Reaching up she unties him, the man standing over her when he finally touches the ground. In an emotional fluster she checks the man over, making sure he isn't injured in any way, shape or form.

"W-what happened?" the young mouse asks, trying to figure out how he had gotten stuck up on the banners in the first place.  
"I annoyed the prince, so he threw me out side" gasping she looks up at the high windows, that was such a reckless thing to do. "Are you here for the entertainment show?" he enquires, walking beside her with a quirky voice.  
"N-no…I'm going to be a new servant" she nervously squeaks, looking at his cat ears with shock. He was a royal, she had touched a higher-being, she was talking impolitely to someone important.  
"Oh, well good luck" he states, wagging his thick bushy black tail as he runs away back into the castle.

Nervously she walks up to a guard, looking up at the giant rat in armour.  
"Where's the a-administrations room…f-for-" stuttering with fear the blade is brought down, the butch man pointing down the hall.  
"Down there and to the right, knock and wait for a response, wench." stilling back into a stone like stance she bows, slowly walking down the fine hallway. Her tail trailing every so often against the marble floor, the walls made out of stone and glass panels that looked awfully expensive. Picking up her petal-pink tail she pulls at it nervously, hesitantly knocking on the iron door.

A gruff voice yelling sternly for her to wait until someone comes for her, nodding she starts to stray away to a small bench. Sitting on it while she spins her hat around and around in her snow white hands, chattering her teeth together in an attempt to calm herself down. The prince sounded foul tempered, the kind of guy who would snap at the slightest misplaced breath.  
Clawing at the ruining brown sunhat she could hear the ringing of heavy heels against the marble floor, she could see her reflection perfectly in the dazzling stone so didn't need to look up.  
Watching quietly a large hulking shark like man stomps past, guarding a small raven man with swords seethed at his hips. He had the imperial symbol on his back, it was the infamous red and white circle with a tear coming off the bottom. Looking up as he walks past she stares in awe, her first glimmer of one of the most powerful men in the entirety of Konoha.

Closely followed behind him was another tall raven man, however this man had many more guards behind and beside him. The same imperial symbol on his back that somewhat reminded her of a fan, that was probably what it stood for. Watching them disappear around another corner, the man with an orange mask from before skips by, waving at Kasa while his swords bash at his hips.  
He had the Uchiha symbol as well, her head had started to spin with shock and awe. She hadn't expected this kind of thing on her first day, she was hoping to meet each one slowly and spaced out if not at all. Nervously she shuffles on the icy stone seat, because the royal had yelped a loud 'hello!' some had back tracked to look at her. The Uchiha families eyes piercing into the side of her head, while she looks down at her toes that had curled up.

Watching the marbles reflection she could see the dark scarlet eyes of the tallest man, she wasn't afraid of them but her shy nature had taken control of everything for her.  
"That was fast, a few days and already there is a woman here?" blinking she dares her cautious nature by slowly looking up, her cheeks brighter than the sun against her snow white skin.  
"Nope, she's a new servant!" the squeaky one plights, watching as the door opens and a man with long black hair appears. His yellow eyes piercing the princes as he smiles pleasantly and bows, motioning for the tall mouse to come into the room.  
Getting up she holds her hat to her chest, the long sleek pink tail uncurling to wriggle its way along the seat. Hooking onto the edge as if silently begging for her not to move until the Uchiha family are gone, tilting her head to them she goes into the room. Ignoring the strange gesture the snake made about her, maybe there was something wrong with her?

Standing in the centre of the room she watches the snake sit down, his eyes scanning the parchment she had submitted carelessly.  
"Ssssso you cook and clean?" nodding slowly she grips her hat tightly, gulping softly while she looks around the room at all of the swords and other dangerous weapons. "No health issuesssss…except you can't go outside for too long when it is sssssunny" nodding he had given her a strange expression, possibly questioning why.  
"I-I faint…if it gets too hot" she stutters nervously, the man nodding while looking her over. He seemed understanding enough, his tongue running along his bottom lip while he murmurs.  
"We have a noble with the same condition, we'll put you on rain check…and you can't entertain?" pausing she rubs her arm nervously, her cheeks gushing a new pink.

"I was taught how to dance…but I've never done it for someone. So I'm not sure if it's accurate enough for a lord to watch" nodding only slightly he twirls his long black hair between his fingers, rolling the scroll up he points to a bag.  
"We'll see what you can do, for now take those clothes and go somewhere until we get a room prepared for you" he states, watching her pick it up and put it in with her shoulder bag.  
"But what will I do until you can see me?" she enquires, watching him shrug and roll his eyes.  
"Go walk about the village, we'll send someone to find you when we're ready" before she can say anything the door had been slammed in her face, pouting softly she trails away from the door. "What was your name again?" the man yells, the adviser had stuck his head out one of the windows.  
"Shika Kasa" she blushes, the man disappearing back into the room and shutting the window with a slam.

Flicking her ears up and then back down she wanders out of the castle, walking the busy cobbled street patiently. Everything was so expensive here, even a pair of socks cost more than everything she was wearing. From time to time the shapes and colours would make her dizzy, the oil-painted sky above her beaming down a ray of light she had never seen before.  
Pushing her silver hair from her eyes Kasa smiles at anyone who looks at her, she had a funny feeling her kind was rarely accepted around here. Glancing at a set of roses she stares at their bright red gleam, the roses where she lived were withered and thin unlike these ones. Every so often she would just stop to examine something, the Uchiha symbol was everywhere.

They had even stamped it on her hand when she entered the village at the start, even though this place was perfect and hypnotising there was something so fake about it. After spending years alone in the fields of Konoha where no one went, she was used to complete solace and empty places that belonged to her and only her. Here everything in the big cities were shared, the ground, the food, even the air was shared amongst the residents. Every house and plant was put there on purpose to draw everyone to the centre, everything was made to centralise the castle and the most expensive shops in a plug hole swirl.  
Compared to a lot of the women here she was skinny, it was obvious that she was no lesser than a common piece of grass to them. The silver in her electric blue eyes had started to shimmer to the sight of a patch-work shop, looking into the window she blushes at the woollen hand-made dolls and clothes.

Her eyes dazzled by the needles and threads, it was true when they used mice to make Cinderella's dress. Apparently she was happily married to a red-crested robin in the fire country now, what a romantic story. Thinking about it she had noticed that the tall and dark man in the middle of that group was a wolf, but he was defiantly an Uchiha. Which lead her to believe that the man with the orange face was in-fact a dog, so it wasn't completely true that sly-cats were running Japan.  
Unlike that icy cold stare he used Kasa had large plate like eyes, her face always looking innocently or sheepishly at people. Buried into thought her tail flicks up like a scorpions before shifting back down, swinging like a gentle pendulum across the concrete ground.

In the distance she could hear the pleasant drowning of insects, such a sound drawing her towards a garden. Looking up at the large blossoming tree she catches a flash, turning to look at something curiously. Wandering up to it she presses a button, the small doors opening so that she can watch as little toys babble about the kingdom of Konoha. By the end of it the camera flashes, taking her photo which consisted of a perplexed and slightly scared expression.  
Squinting one eye her head tilts and her single ear drops flat, the other ear standing to attention towards the camera, giving a lop-sided glare she questions the box. Pressing the button again to watch it again, this time someone had come up behind her when the flash went off. Dizzily she tries to get the white spots out of her eyes, looking at who ever had come to stand next to her with a lackadaisical expression.  
"They have a room for you now, you will start work straight away tomorrow morning" after a minute of trying to gain more of her vision she follows the handsome blonde, he was defiantly a horse or pony of some kind.

After a long dreary walk they had shown her the room, the young mouse finding something to rest her aching feet. Sitting on a bed the woman looks about the small room, fair enough it was a servants room but it was nicer than she could have ever hoped. It was bigger than her bedroom at home and looked so much prettier than her own, the tap water wasn't as nice however and tasted like putrid metal.  
Walking into a small bathroom she glances at a tub, running the hot water she slides into it. Here they had proper shampoo, if not cheaper than the royals but still more expensive than the things she had back at home. Running hands up her long tail she washes it in the soaps, apparently the leader forced the women to wear two different perfumes.

If you had slept with him then they were made to wear a kind of almond and cinnamon perfume, if not they had to wear a Sakura and strawberry scent. The payment for this job was amazing as well, unlike outside of the castle she would get some kind of treatment. But then again it could just be that this is like heaven for only her, someone who had never had an indoor bath in her life.  
A lot of people wanted to get into the richness, she just wanted to have some kind of company. Kasa would save the money and spend none of it, if they asked for her to pay for the soaps she would stop them and make her own. Even if it meant going to the marshlands to get a bath, there were hundreds of servants however so they probably wouldn't notice her. Not once she started work and stayed out of everyone's eyes, she might even get a bonus if she works without being causing any trouble.

~Hey, just for a little more. Just for a little more, please listen to me. Hey, just for a little more, is it alright to be just a little more wilful? Right after receiving, it seems to disappear again. Could you say something to me?~ she sings, her voice ringing on the four walls as she stares out the window of the tower. The tub was high up which meant she had a nice window view of the forest below, looking at the glowing lights all around her she pouts. She missed her little cottage, even if it was freezing cold and as silent as the dead all of the time. There everything was black and calm, here you could see everything but it was because of the fires from the buildings. Not because she had caught a few fireflies, or because the sun was rising to greet her with its auburn blur.

~I love you, I love you. Until the end of the world while smiling foolishly, try saying it - "I love you". Even though it's such a simple, thing, I can't do it. I wished to the sky to be able to love properly~ glancing at the glittering stars she sighs, her mother would sometimes sing this to her every night for some reason. Maybe it was because even when something went wrong, Kasa still smiled and tried to look on the brighter side of life.

~Hey, there are so many things that I want to know, and that I don't know well of. Thus, with these two bodies that can't become one, we hugged with all our might. Just by being here with me, the world has already begun changing~ she could hear something outside in the main part of the bedroom but she ignores it, it always confused her to how there were mice that weren't like her. They had whiskers, paws and fur all over their bodies, her mother called them the 'cursed-ones'. If she didn't eat all of her sprouts that was how she would end up, or much worse.

~This monotonic scenery, look, it now reflects such vividness and before I knew it, we were so separated. Lets walk on holding hands, lets ask the sky if we are able to continue loving properly~ she sings softly, slashing the water and letting the bubbles froth up around her. At least it was calm and serene here, not a peep from the frogs or foxes of the forest. And yet she felt a little lonely without it, they were what put her to sleep at night every night.

~Even if the day that we must part comes, if there are days that I can think of you, I guess that's alright. Someday the meaning behind our separation will arrive, because we made a promise, lets move on to tomorrow. I love you, I love you until the end of the world while smiling foolishly. Try saying it - "I love you", even though its such a simple thing, I can't do it. I wished to the sky to be able to love properly, I wished to the sky…~ her first words were 'I lub oo', and even though the song she sang talked about her not being able to love that wasn't entirely true. The mouse could love anyone and anything, no matter what they looked like or who they were. Soaking for an hour she decides to get out, before she started to wrinkle.

Drying herself off with the softest towels she had ever found she sighs, kneeling by the bath to wash her old dress in the left over water. Hanging it up on the towel rack she looks at her new dress, it was black and red like the Uchiha sharingan. Kasa had specially asked that Orochimaru, her advisor, gave her a convenient dress with pockets, longer sleeves, and a chest cover to hide her collarbone.  
A little fib couldn't hurt, she just told him she had scars that would put the guests off. What they couldn't see couldn't hurt her, she had however added a slot to put her tail through, so it didn't lift when her tail fidgeted about.  
Resting on the single bed the albino mouse brushes her hair with a fork, they hadn't given her a brush just yet. Combing the silver fork through her long white hair she lets it curl up against the mattress, she had never gotten it cut so it almost reached passed her hips. The moonlight hair shimmering a cool grey, because the water from the bath had soaked into it.


	3. Chapter 2

Yawning softly she pulls her wet hair behind her and lets it droop off the bed, dripping little puddles on the stone ground while she snuggles into the soft pillow. The mattress was hard like stone, she missed her own bed. It was much bigger and softer than this one, outside she could hear people walking past and she could hear loud music from the window because it had grown late.  
Slowly drifting away into her voided darkness, her breaths become peaceful and slow. On the bright orange dawn she had awoken early like she always did, which was much sooner than she needed to. Forgetting that she had started living in the castle she rolls off the mattress, hitting the floor with a thump and dragging the covers with her.

Getting up groggily she brushes her teeth and hair, tying it up into a pony tail to keep it out of the way. Taking her dress she places it to her nose, breathing in the scent with a long drawn sigh of awe. It was fresh and smelled like an exotic fruit, standing aimlessly smelling her dress she repeatedly sighs softly. Fluttering her eyelashes at such a sickly sweet scent, the people living here were so lucky.  
Slipping it on over her legs she zips it up and draws her tail through, looking into a tall mirror she smiles. Tying a kind of black bandana with the Uchiha symbol on it to the top of her head, it stops her fringe falling into her face. Slipping her long boots on, she was in the dress code but barely noticeable. The long white dress had swirling ember like branches lacing along the side, and the crossover vest made of silken black stand out.

It was plain but still expensive looking, the dress came in black and white but because of her hair colour they gave her the positive dress. She could have worn the black one but it wouldn't have blended in with her skin, only two other people had this dress apparently, rather than the negative. However she had put on black gloves, and socks with white shoes to try blend in.  
Shutting the small mahogany door behind herself Kasa glances around, spending her first few hours going through the castle cleaning up and sorting things out. With a cloth to the ground she runs up and back down, the room intoxicated by alcohol which took a good extra hour to attempt to hide. Dusting a picture she hides when anyone walks past, even though she was in a bright dress she had the ability to become invisible. However she wasn't sure how long she could keep this up, it was only a matter of time before her adviser got her to do something that would be seen openly.

It wasn't her fault but she had the inability to face new people straight away, however if she forgot and started singing that might attract attention as well. Her family always asked why she sang so much, they hadn't even seen a bird sing as much as she did. Even if the mouse didn't sing she couldn't help but hit things if they rung a vivid sound, she had never been given a musical instrument so had to work with pots and pans most of the time.

Wandering the corridors the mouse starts cleaning windows, after going around in circles for 20 minutes she was sure she was lost. Kasa had seen the exact same wooden toad statue four times now, this castle was defiantly trying to eat and trap her in its confined walls. Softly she rubs her arm nervously, walking past a memorable painting of the king, prince and his family on a wall.  
Entering a library she starts to put books back on their shelves, a woman running from a door in a frenzy. Coming up to the mouse and then going behind the book case, her finger being placed to her rouge lips as a man with bright orange hair glances around. His ninja armour told Kasa that he was a noble but someone who didn't fight, he was a kind of advisor for a part of Konoha apparently. Glancing at the blue haired woman she stares at her dress, she was some kind of princess or upper-class Lady.

"You, wench. Have you seen a beautiful woman with blue hair?" he snaps, glaring sternly as the mouse's ears flick back and forth.  
"No, please forgive me Tono-Shi" bowing her body he raises his eyebrow, leaving the room swiftly as the woman from before comes out with a relieved pout.  
"Thank you Shimobe…you saved me from another annoying proposal" watching the woman leave she pauses, turning to see the mouse bow to her as well. "Yuzen Konan" glancing up the maid smiles sweetly, her ears twitching softly.

"Shika Kasa, it's a pleasure to meet you. Konan-Ue" bowing her head the blue headed woman runs out, going in the opposite direction of the man from before. Her first conversation with higher up people, and she didn't make a fool of herself. Smiling pleasantly the mouse starts cleaning up the books again, the frames of pictures becoming shiny again as she picks up the dust from cracks in ornaments.

Hearing a bell for the servants time-shift she goes to get her lunch, sitting down to eat quietly on a bench to a corner of the castle. Picking the sushi up with her fingers she drops it into her mouth from above, nipping at a slippery bit of squid with a stubborn expression. Standing her ears to attention she looks up, a man with blonde hair and the nobleman's outfit on looking at her.  
Shuffling along the seat he sits down, leaning against the wall to rest himself with a drawn out grunt. Examining his armour and ninja clothing she looks back down, trying to use her chopsticks instead but failing miserably. After a few minutes she stabs the wooden stick through it, the man watching her eat with a strange expression on his face. Putting it into her mouth she takes it back out, her tail having a fit at the awful taste. Even roots and bark tasted better than this rubbery substance, how the upper-class could eat it was beyond her.

"Are you a servant?" he coldly enquires, his face soft however as she nods while still looking down at the lunch box. "Shouldn't you be working?" shaking her head Kasa finally looks up, her large eyes piercing him like a chibi.  
"It's my lunch break" raising his eyebrow he seems to grin, watching her stare at him innocently. She recognised him as the pony from before, his azure eyes sparking against hers.  
"You mean the Lords lunch break…you're eating some else's food, un" twitching her eyebrow she spit's the rice back out, sealing up the lid and throwing it out the window behind her.  
"Ah!" she yelps, on the line of the blonds hair he had began sweating, he hadn't expecting her reaction to be so frantic. Laughing openly he leans his head back against the stone wall, gripping his stomach while she drops her ears back.  
"Oh, un…you've made my day" he chuckles, wiping his eye and sitting up. "Alright, get back to work servant. I'll pretend I didn't see anything…" flicking her eyes up Kasa gets up and bows up and down like a woodpecker, excitedly thanking him over and over again. "Genbaku Deidara, un" he states, the young mouse repeating what she had said to Konan. Running away down the corridor the blonde leans back, watching her with a raised eyebrow.

Getting to work on washing the marble floor in the throne room she makes sure no one is around, starting from the top she runs down on her hands and cloth. Her tail curled in the air as she slips her way down, turning to do the same back up the way. Stopping at the centre she checks the difference, smiling pleasantly to see the shining reflection on one side. Doing the other half she comes back to the centre, stopping in the small box with a pause. How was she supposed to get to the door without falling over, raising her eyebrow she takes a step out.  
Slipping and falling all over the place, steadying her feet she starts to shuffle slowly. Speeding up until she was skiing along, smiling she giggles under her breath. Getting the floor wax she would need and spreading it while she skated about, jumping up and doing a spin her foot is placed to her knee. Her tail curling from her body as she lands on her toe, landing behind her back while Kasa goes backwards.

In a world of her own she hadn't noticed someone watching her, their large doe eyes and podgy fingers peeking out from the door. Bowing while going backwards she stops, sliding the side of her foot along the ground with her hands out like a star. Spinning faster and faster she comes in, her foot to her knee again while she pulls her hands in.

~All I know is that to you, I look like lots of fun. You spin me right round, akachan. Right round like a record, , round, round, round~ she sings, spiralling to her toe and then back down to her hip. Splashing the last of the wax she smoothes it out with her hands, her tail twitching when someone grabs onto it. Alarmed by the touch her nerves shoot up her spine, slowly Kasa turns around to look at a pair of bright and large eyes. His hand gripping onto her pink tail that is squirming around, examining him she looks at the Uchiha symbol. Another royal Uchiha, because of his age the mouse presumed him to be the young master of the castle.

"Hello" he pouts, looking at her just as coldly as the others would. For a young child he didn't seem as happy as the ones she had met, smiling at him she tries to figure out what it was he is. He had no ears but from the look of his natural hair style he must have been a duck, watching him curiously he looks at her ears. They were huge compared to any he had seen previously, like her eyes they were like dinner plates.

"Hello, Sumera-Mikoto" she smiles, the boy blushing at the statement. No one had probably referred to him as the 'heavenly sovereign' before. There was something about this small boy that seemed so recognisable, but that was probably what made him an Uchiha. Soon enough two other children had run over from the door, both of them about the same age as him. Watching them moving closer he grips her tail tighter, pushing himself into her back as she was still turned away from him. The blonde and pink haired pair starting to bicker amongst each other, Kasa had been trying not to grab and hug the life out of the tearaways.

"Naruto-bakka let go, I want to hug MY Sasuke-Ouken!" the little girl with bright pink hair yelps, irritated by the young blonde. Yanking at the young child he seemed to have what looked like whiskers on his cheeks, while Sasuke seemed to be the boy with blackish-blue hair now trying to climb further onto her back.  
"K-kawaii…"the mouse murmurs through grit teeth, twitching her hands in awe. Turning to the weight on her back she peers into the large ebony eyes staring right at her, blushing and smiling she watches the boy curiously.

"Hello Sasuke-Sumera-Mikoto" the young albino softly speaks, watching the two children jumping at either side of her and pulling at her hands. Giggling uncontrollably at their small hands tugging wildly for attention, managing to pluck the young duck from her she puts him down. Examining the other two to see that the girl is a flamingo, while Naruto is a Golden Tamarind.

Watching the children run away again she waves pleasantly, getting up with a sigh to pout at the muddy footprints on the ground. Washing them off she reapplies the wax, flinching when her tail moves and a ringing goes off. Glancing down she looks at a small black ribbon, tied badly to her tail in which has a red bell on the end. Sasuke must have put it there, taking it off she wraps it back on neatly.  
Swinging the bell and letting it ring, it was such a pleasant sound. Walking through the hallways Kasa peers around, looking to see if there is anything else to do around the castle. Spotting a squint picture she straightens it up, listening carefully she could hear footsteps. But before she can even think to hide they had come around the corner, glaring and looking for something. Bowing her head to them they glance at the bell, the albino man pointing to it with an annoyed expression.

"That bell, where did you find it?" he snaps bitterly, Kasa taking it off to give to him.  
"In the throne room, a young boy had it but he ran out and into the corridor. Ue-Shi" the albino mouse states, scanning the tiger over slowly while he mutters under his breath. Throwing the bell back at her to run fingers through his hair, he must have been the one Orochimaru had mentioned.  
"If you see him tell him that his brother is looking for him, wench" storming off he yells back at her, his voice frustrated and moody. "Fumetsu Hidan" pausing he looks back, probably expecting her to tell him her name as well.

"Shika Kasa" the mouse calls back, bowing politely while listening to him storming off. Already she had met so many different people, most of them higher-beings compared to her. The mouse just hoped she didn't bump into the king or prince any time soon, they were the last two people she wanted to meet right now. Glancing out a window she could see that the sun was setting, unsure she just waits to see if any other servants started packing up. On seeing others leaving the young mouse wanders towards her room, fiddling with the door she finds the room locked. Groaning she leans her forehead against the wooden door, sighing and turning to lean her back against it instead. Now what was she going to do?

Maybe Orochimaru had a key to the room, surely he would have some kind of master key or something. Stalking the empty and dark corridor she goes to the door at the bottom, however it is locked and the snake is not around. Her first day wasn't going as well as she could have hoped, deciding that she wouldn't get a sleep tonight she starts to wander the castle. Maybe she could do some night time cleaning, and get the morning off to rest, since she did a non-stop 24 hour shift. Passing doors she could hear strange sounds being emitted, but she doesn't dare enter them just in-case she saw something she didn't want to.  
Glancing into the throne room she finds it empty, the echo and ring of her bell together chiming and stirring something in the pit of her stomach. Struggling to control herself she enters, washing the walls just in-case someone walked in and questioned her. Shutting the large door softly Kasa turns around, taking a deep breath before she sings only quietly to begin with.

~Hmmmm….hmmm….hmmmm….hhhhmmhhmmmm-mm-mm…I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Ouken, but you don't really care for music, do you? It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall, the major lift, the baffled Tenno composing hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah~ spinning on her heel she glances around, looking to the window in awe. The moonlight coming through the window, casting her shadow against its silver gleam.~Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you, she tied you to a kitchen chair.

She broke your throne, she cut your hair, and from your lips she drew the hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelu-jah~ her voice echoing through the room as she spurs into the moment by looking up, staring straight into the snare of the Uchiha symbol. Engraved into the stone and the throne of the room, flags by the unlit candles basking the symbol in all its glory.

~Maybe I've been here before, I've seen this room and I've walked this floor. I used to live alone…before…I knew - you. I've seen your flag, on the marble arch. But love is not Some victory march…It is a cold, and its a Bro-ken hallelujah~ gripping her dress she purposely breaks her tone on the word 'broken', tilting her head down to look at her feet. Stopping her ears twitch as she looks up, glancing to a pillar where she thought she heard a noise. Raising her eyebrow she turns away, trying to gain her composure again to echo her song.

~There was a time when you would let me know, what was real and going on below…but now you never show that to me, do, you? Remember when I moved for you, and the unholy dark was moving to? And every breath we drew was, hallelujah….hallelujah…hallelujah~ fading in and out of the shadows Kasa smiles, this room made an interesting sound depending on how she sung.

~Well maybe there is a Kami above, and all you ever learned from love - was how to shoot at someone, who outdrew it's not a cry you can hear at night; it's not somebody who's seen the light, it's a cold - and it's a broken Hallelujah~ ringing the bell she sighs, shutting her eyes slightly to keep the mood. She used to hear a girl in her village church sing it, Imogen Heaps, she had moved away as well to try find a better monastery.

Silently glancing around the albino mouse thinks of something else to sing, ringing the bell on her tail she twitches her ears again. There was defiantly someone in the room, maybe she had disturbed something by coming in here? Ringing the bell she starts to sing again, creeping towards the back of where the person is hiding.

~Aimo aimo, needel lushe. Noina miria, endel prodea fotomi. Koko wa atta kana umi dayo, luulei luuleia. Sora wo mau hibari wa namida, luulei luuleia~ reaching out she touches their tail, whoever it was was sent flying into the air and running from the hiding spot quickly. Jumping herself she gasps, she hadn't expected there to actually be someone there. Glancing around the throne room she listens for them, curiously pushing her head from the right to left while she searches for them. Her hand holding a bushy black tail in confusion, she had somehow ripped their tail off.

"S-sorry" Kasa gasps out as the words seem to steal all the air from her lungs, the black figure merging with the darkness like a sort of ghoul. Coming closer in a perplexed manner she squints her eyes, trying to see who the figure is. "Are you okay?" the albino questions, stepping a little closer to the silent form. Her hand lifted and her fingers resting out, but doesn't dare touch them. Just in-case it was unwanted or unneeded, carefully she looks down at the tail. Holding it out in the light to see if they would grab it, quickly the pale hand snatches the fake appendage and disappears further into the darkness. Pouting her dinner plate like ears spring up, and then go to one side with her head.

"What's your name?" the mouse enquires curiously, watching the dark figure trying to leave the room but the light was in the way. Pausing she watches the door, placing her hands up to her eyes so she can't see, and turning around so her back is to them. Waiting patently she could feel an arm run along her back, the sound of incoherent footsteps fading into the darkness outside. This castle was getting stranger and stranger by the minute, sighing she kneels to wash the floor like she was planning to do. Stilling when someone grabs her shoulder, sending a soft and rather cute yelp into the lonely air.

"What are you doing here?" an eerie voice asks, Kasa turning her head to look up at a tall magpie. Standing up slowly she tries to gain her voice, but she was unsure if she could get it back considering how tall this man was.  
"My room was locked…and my advisor isn't in…s-so I thought I'd clean to make myself use-useful" the small mouse replies, watching him with a nervous jitter in her voice.

"…Smart wench aren't you?" the tanned man enquires, grinning at her as she glances to his rings and necklaces. Apparently he was a very rich man, he must have been the castles treasury keeper. "Okane Kakuzu" bowing her head she looks back up at him, her eyes becoming somewhat large while they twinkle like sapphires and diamonds.  
"Shika Kasa" she replies, smiling up at him and bowing politely.  
"How long have you been working here?" the tanned miser enquires, watching her as she blushes softly.  
"I started this morning, Kakuzu-Kakka" grinning again from behind his mask he watches her, nodding and looking her over.

"Keep up this kind of work, and you'll get a raise" he laughs sarcastically, leaving her to get on with the work. Smiling to herself she finishes up the work, if she made it any cleaner the wax wouldn't work to stop people sliding. For the rest of the night she walks aimlessly around, finding her way to a library she leans up against a seat. All around her are piles of books, stacked up so high that they hide her from everyone.  
Curling up under the seat she rests her chin against her arm, curling her tail up to brush against her nose. Snuggled up into her knees tightly Kasa lets out a calm sigh, her eyes weakly staring through the darkness until she drifts off. Her ears being lulled to flop against her head to the sound of her stomach, growling like a wild beast for food; and it wanted it soon, or it would let the world hear its enraged war-cry.


	4. Chapter 3

For once the young mouse had slept for longer than she usually would, the glistening sun from the large windows hitting her tail and heating up her legs. Yawning and stretching she clambers out from under the tables and chairs, her forehead and eyes slowly coming up to make sure that no one was around before she stood up completely.  
Cracking a few aching joints the albino woman examines the vast library, putting the books away to make herself useful. Every other servant had already gotten to work but no one had noticed her disappearance, she would make sure not to make it a common day occurrence however. Yawning she fixes the dress, coming out of the room to go see Orochimaru in his room.  
As suspected he hadn't given her the room key, apologising to her she just giggles. It wasn't as bad as he had been making it out to be, today was kitchen duty. Strangely she was alone in the room, it was an evaluation test apparently. Her food would be eaten and the tea drank, and if it was approved then she would get some kind of points on her servants card.

Glancing at her points she smiles, the people she had been talking to before had given her points already. Some people were more amazed to the fact that Kakuzu and Sasuke had given her points, small but it was something. Reading over the recipes Kasa scraps them, she would use her own family one instead. Cracking open eggs, wheat and sugar she mixes them together, fluffing them up and making two sponges. Reading the notes for the person she was baking for they apparently liked strawberries and cream, rubbing her chin she mixes strawberries in with the cream and puts it in the middle. Adding her own personal vanilla extract to the dough, smelling the cake baking from the oven she groans.  
It sure did smell really good; something she would only make on special occasions, because it would probably make the consumer addicted if not chubby. Picking up a spoon she samples the left over ingredients, sighing while putting it into an old left over tin tooth paste tube. Swirling the mix onto the cake to make little roses she puts it back in, she didn't want them to burn from being in for too long. Taking the cake out when it is done she stares at it, cutting strawberries into slices to put around the side on the tray.

For the finishing touches she had added strawberry icing onto the little swirls, licking her lips she calls for someone to take it through. She had made a special blend of tea-leaf and mint, it would wash the sugar down so it didn't sting their teeth. Kasa just hoped that the cake looked presentable for the person eating it, cleaning up she glances to the maid. Giving her the thumbs up the mouse gleams, the girl gasping in awe.  
"He is almost floating on air after he ate that cake…it's amazing the nobles are saying!" clapping her hands together the mouse spins, clasping her hands together in awe that she had done something well.

~This is a world of dreams and reverie, where I felt the stars explode around me. A grass blade flashed with a gleam as it slashed open a moon beam, and I stared back breathlessly as mountains of fruit tumbled out; I barely had the chance to shout, a strawberry avalanche crash over me~ the albino Animan sings, cleaning up the things the maid comes back in.  
"You need to work on the tea…something sweeter" glancing to the leaves she gives her a questioning stare, the nodding for her to do it now. Thinking about it she glances at the blond in the doorway, curiously watching her.  
"Does my receiver like Akebi?" tilting her head she waits for the girl to come back, shrugging the young maid pouts.  
"No one's ever heard of it…" smiling the mouse puts her hat on, going to the door with a smile.  
"Then I'll go get some" watching her the maid walks off to tell the masters, the mouse walking towards her bedroom to get changed into her old dress. Out on the corridor towards the bridge the guy with the orange mask had found her, running over with a curious skip and arm flail.

"Where are you going?" he asks in a high pitched monotone, Kasa turning to look at him with a dazzled smile.  
"I'm going to go get fruit" gasping he bounces around her, clapping his hands together excitedly.  
"Can Kyuubi go? Oh, please? He needs to be walked…he's the princes pet" blinking she hums, putting her finger up and tilting her head slightly.  
"Well…I suppose so" watching him squeal he runs off, bringing her a leash and pointing her in the direction of his cage. Wandering around the side of the castle the young mouse stops, looking down a set of steps she goes down them.

Walking deep into the darkness of a strange coliseum she gulps, why would his pet need such a big place? Walking into something wet she blinks, looking down at a nose big enough to reach her knees. Looking up into the large luminous eyes of a strange beast it breaths out, casting a molten hot breath all over her.  
[Who are you?] the beast growls lowly, glaring at her as she gulps nervously.  
"A-are you Kyuubi?" she enquires, watching the creature lift its head to stare at her and then the to the tiny leash.  
[Tobi is a bakka…but fine. I'll let you walk me...but don't expect me to be nice.] the giant fox cackling as it stands up, giving her a sharp and sinister toothy grin. [Where are you taking me?] opening her mouth she bites her lip, trying to regain her composure, this pet was almost as big as 2 horses standing on each other or if not a house.

"To…the back of mount Fuji" watching her cautiously he grins, leaning down to sniff her and open his mouth. Slowly he lets the putrid scent of rotting meat enter her nostrils, if her face could it would have shrivelled up in shock.[Lead the way, wench] pouting she looks at the leash, clipping it onto his collar before she walks him out of the dark area. His nine red tails floating about as she walks him along the large path in the forest out back, the demon watching the mountain going the opposite way. [Mount Fuji is the other way…] the beast growls while the small mouse looks up at him again, smiling and tapping her nose gently.  
"What we're looking for only grows on a specific side of the mountain" twitching its ears calmly the beast doesn't complain, its eyes surveying the surroundings while they walk casually.

After a few hours of complete silence he finally looks down at her, she was completely lost in a little world of her own. The mouse's eyes drawn and staying attached to the plants, shifting when a butterfly drifts past. Clearly slightly scared of them as she ends up leaning into the demons leg, waiting for it to flutter away she proceeds to walk on. At least Kyuubi could think without listening to anything stupid being spouted out, but sometimes complete silence didn't work when he had nothing else to think about. Deep into the dark forests Kasa breaths calmly, the thick polluted air thinning out until she spots the white lichen on the tree stumps.

"I'm finally home" she sighs, hugging up to the tree while her tail flicks about with joy. Kyuubi raising its whiskers as she skips the path to go towards the mountain, the side of the cliff just big enough for them to walk up. Finding another small orchard the demon watches her picking blue fruits, the serene sky above and the gentle breeze making the demon sheepishly alert. Feeling the leash start to grow lighter than it once was the young woman turns, questioning the amazing transformation the fox had just went through.  
From being as big as a house the beast had turned into a kind of puppy, carefully and wearily she picks the fox up. Using her tail to pluck the fruits while her arms cradle the demon, stroking its back the beast barely moves. Pushing her straw hat further onto her head she sighs, the shade protecting her pale skin from the hot sun that was scolding her from above.

Trailing a grassy path her hand delves through the dew stricken plants, plucking flowers and berries that make a gentle snap. Sniffing the purple bluebells she smiles, her delicate nose twitching while her white hair barely moves in the breeze. Placing them into the brown basket Kasa stands up straight, running the back of her wrist over the sweating skin on her forehead. The weather had been at its best in months for the past week, which meant these fruits would be even more succulent than usual.  
~Omae wa yasashi midori no ko, aimo aimo needel lushe. Noina miria endel prodea, fotomi koko wa atta kana umi dayo~ she suddenly sings, the foxes ears pricking up to the voice.

[The demons lullaby…] it murmurs opening its eyes to look up at her, glancing back down she gently sits on a patch of grass. Peeling a part of the blue fruit away she scoops out the contents with a spoon, offering a piece to the demon whom licks it off. In only a few seconds there is a sparked reaction, the demon pouncing up and staring at the gouged out fruit. [They are delicious…] it swoons, sticking its snout into the fruit in her hand and devouring the juices quickly.

"We can pick them all, its almost time for them to fade. Once they fall from the tree they wont be any good though, so lets hurry" she smiles, temping the demon to help her for more of those delicious fruits. "Well that's all of them, if we hurry home I'll make a cake out these for you if you like. I'm sure there's plenty for tea and food" growling she turns around, widening her eyes and gasping when the demon flips her up and onto its back.

[This will make it faster] he mutters, trying to act calm and cool while she buttons up all the bags full of fruits. Bouncing off the side of the mountain the beast lands onto the forest path, he had grown only to the height of a horse. Gripping onto the chain on the demons neck the young mouse lets out shocked gasps, smiling at just how fast they were going. She should temp the demon with those fruits more often, she might even convince him to use his tails like nine giant dusters. Bounding over fallen trees and other things the demon skids to a halt, letting her down before they entered the castles walls. He had his reputation to uphold, which he kept going by yanking her along the path.  
More or less because he was excited to get more Akebi from her, entering the field towards the cage she spots Tobi. Skipping over he glances at Kyuubi, even if he was glaring he still looked content and happy. [Fruit, now] he growls, catching three bits in his mouth as his entire body drops down. Placing his paws on his snout he rolls on his back, roaring and kicking about at how sweet the fruit was. [So good~] he pines, rubbing the back of his head against the dew green grass.

"Kyuubi really likes those fruits" she laughs, letting Tobi put the demon back in his cage while she went back to the kitchen. Grinding it up into a juice she hands it to the new maid, pouting she questions something.  
"This is cold" nodding softly she smiles, it was supposed to be juice. It was probably too hot in the castle for tea now, the cold juice would probably be appreciated. "He'd like some more" the maid states as she re-enters the room, taking a tray of the juice from the kitchen. Smiling she leaves the kitchen, that was her work for the day done which meant she could go and sleep.

Going to her room she has a quick bath, afterwards she jumps up and drops down onto the bed. She had spent some of her points upgrading her mattress, it was like some kind of game. Engulfed in the covers and pillows, the mouse gives a stiffened yawned and grumbles. Curling up to the little clouds in her head drifting by, her mind up above it all as she tries to fall asleep. That morning dazzling lights start to break her peaceful binds, the covers that were keeping her warm had been kicked away during the night.  
Prodding her hands around her hips and grumbling Kasa opens her eyes, staring at the wall dully with a soft grunt. Moments later the young slave finds herself bounding up off the bed restlessly, she had awoken a good hour ago but could not sleep anymore. Giving out an urgent and bored sigh of defeat she rolls off the bed to get dressed, she wasn't sure what she would get up to today but it would go along the lines of cleaning most likely. But that was when she remembered tonight was the princes birthday, some the servants were invited to the party.

The age they lived in was surely changing at a rapid rate, next they would have some kind of devise to speak without being near each other as well. Washing her face in warm water the young mouse slips into a new dress, her adviser had given it to her because it was part of the code for the party. Because of how thin she was the clothing put her into both awe and shock, her pale lotus coloured skin making her look almost like a ghost. Casually her hands pull at the flowing knee high white dress, the back laced in rope that is red and tied into a bow courtesy of her tail.

The long sleeves had also been laced at the seam to be inline with her elbow, bows on the shoulder and on the top end of the sleeves rest on her knuckles perfectly. Smiling she looks into her large mirror, she felt so foreign from Japanese culture. This was apparently the fashion in a place called Paris, and because of that her adviser bought it.  
He thought she just looked like a delicate little French girl, gushing to the thought she turns to an angle to examine the dress fully. The end of it had a red strip to go with her sleeves and collar, tightening the white bow on the end of her tail she fixes the red one at the very top as well. Doing her make-up she smiles, even though she didn't agree to show any skin she liked the dress.

It was light aired and comfortable, perfect for her problems in the sun, he must have known that. With cloudy eyes the young mouse leaves her room, outside and all around the castle women where in their own dresses. Standing fixing that same squint portrait she pulls at her boots. Looking down at her feet she smiles, her new shoes were so comfortable to walk in.  
They were made of a white cloth, the boots patterned with red straps up the side of her inner calves, and when she walked they barely made a sound because they were a flat heel. This meant that as she walked her several bells rang in an angelic motion, staring into space she gives everyone a dazzled expression.

"Ug, I told you. The French outfit looks divine…" she heard someone state, glancing at them she smiles, blushing softly and proceeding down the corridor.  
"Kawaii!" she could hear people squealing at her, blushing she grins cheerily. Kasa hadn't had this kind of attention in years, not this much anyway. Pulling at her pockets she puts on her fingerless white gloves, the infamous thin red rope lace going up the middle of them. Each end on the fingers and on the arm piece given their own red bar, as well as along each side of the cut out for the lace.

Twitching her ears the red and white bows tied to either one made her look younger than she really was, which was probably why everyone found her to be adorable. This was the 'Ookami' style a Japanese artist had made while in France, it made her want to go there for a holiday. Because of the mascara she had used her eyelashes looked longer than usual, just moving them made her feel like she was about to take off. This dress wasn't just for the ladies to 'aw' over however, as men were turning their heads to get a gander at her.  
The dress had spat her out in all the right places (as Orochimaru stated, what ever that means), and what made it more noticeable was her radiant moonlit skin. If someone didn't know what a gemstone was, they might have mistook her for one that was worth more than a Jeremejevite. Sparkling her crystal and sapphire eyes she glances around, it would be a shame once she had to give the dress back.

To her delight she looked clean, strong and professional for once. Well, she would have looked strong if she could keep her eyes from darting down in a shy manner. That was probably what got everyone blushing however; there was nothing cuter than an eighteen year-old, who is shy, always blushing and looks like a small infant meeting the relatives for the first time.  
Stepping through the hallway on the bottom corridor to go to the garden she hears something, listening carefully she turns around. Flicking her ears to attention to someone screaming, turning her head the opposite way she watches Tobi coming right at her. In seconds she was in the air and being spun, the nobles swords clinking by his sides as he crushes her against his heavy green armour.  
"I finally found you!" he plights in a bubbly sing-song kind of manner. "Come on, the prince wants to see you!" carrying her on his shoulder the silver haired girl kicks, she didn't like being carried by this weird guy.

"W-why does he want to see me?" she nervously asks, watching the roofs beyond the bridge disappearing. The raven dog putting her down as he drags the mouse along, while Kasa is still struggling to try escape him.  
"He wants to meet you…" squeaking with confusion, she questions why the prince would want to see a servant. "He's bored of the other servants" the royal family was a strange group of people, but she didn't want to question them. They still had their vicious titles, and would quite happily kill anyone who found them to be farceur.

Playing with her dress she glances at the ground, waiting for Tobi who had run away to come back. Normally she would have bought this as time to run but a prince wanted to see her, so she could do nothing but sit back and watch it all play out. Gulping she listens to someone coming closer, a low and stern voice muttering with annoyance.  
"This is Shika Kasa" the young boy chirps in a bubbly manner, slowly the mouse bows her head trying now to look up for as long as she can.

"And?" the prince grumbles, he sounded stressed. "I've got enough trouble without you bring me…mice" he grumbles, glaring at her twitching white ears. Muttering sternly he glares at Tobi, his void like scarlet eyes digging deep into the orange mask. Soon enough the boy had started wincing, as if the burning snare was gouging his eyes out slowly. Straightening up the young maid glances at Tobi, her hair sliding back against the sides of her cheeks.  
People had been whispering about how long her hair was, from where she stood the pair could see the ends poking out from behind her back. "I err…are you a Denka?" the prince had been staring at her in silence for some time now, blinking with confusion and some kind of silent awe. The dog behind him yelping in while the mouse blushes at such a comment.  
"Nope, she's a servant remember? We saw her on the bench!" the crazy cousin cheers, Kasa watching each expression on the princes face change dramatically every few seconds.

"It's an honour to meet you, ohm - Hidenka-Shi" the albino bows her head while her pale hands slide down the front of her dress, stopping by her knees while her tail rings from the bells slightly. Nervously standing up again he looks her over, sniffing the air and catching her strawberry scent. Like a rattle snake his eyes slit softly, watching Kasa blush feverously and dart her eyes to anything but his shyly.  
"Maybe you can help me…" he coldly states, turning and leading them towards the party room.


	5. Chapter 4

In the centre of the room Kasa had entered there were two large objects, one had white wax sticks and another had these strange glass objects on it. The glass one had strange attatchments coming from it, a man trying to set it up was yelling about them, calling them 'wires'.  
"Which one?" he asks, watching the mouse tilting her ears in confusion. "They're new lights…shipped from a place called England" staring at them with hesitation her eyes whiz right and left, she had heard if he didn't like a decision he would hang the servant. "The one with candles, or lights? They're apparently going to take over from our old oil burning lights, all the range" the prince states, grinning slightly as he speaks about these new forms of technology. The albino mouse had stayed silent, fathoming what the hell Madara was actually speaking about.

Gulping as she twists her eyes around the room, examining everything and anything to try come up with a verdict.  
"I ohm…that crystal thing would look good…it would go with that crystal thing with the red stuff in it" her hand pointing from the weird glass object towards a table, food had been set up on it with a black and red cloth. Raising his eyebrow she peers around, trying to find more things that might go with the object. "A-and the shiny marble floor would cast a rainbow of colours, it would look really pretty when people are dancing" she attempts to smile at him, the Uchiha lord slitting his eyes slightly to question her in a relaxed manner.  
"Exactly like what I was thinking" he grins, Tobi barking to butt into the conversation.  
"But you wanted to use the-" getting smacked across the head Kasa flinches towards the violence, bowing quickly in a panic that makes the prince blink at her in confusion.  
"W-well the other one would work too! It ohm…goes with the drapes and the rugs. And it would have a nice glow when the lights go down" she plights in a distraught fashion, the bells on her tail rattling while she panics trying to find more things that would work with his option.  
"It's fine…I'll use the chandelier" the prince mumbles, glaring icily at his stupid cousin to keep his mouth shut in future. Looking down at her chest he pretends to examine the dress, at least he didn't have anything to complain to her about it.

Escaping the princes isolated void Kasa leans against a wall, taking deep breaths of shock after her scary ordeal. Hoping to herself that that was the last time she had to encounter him, even his smile was terrifying and cold. A smile that tricked everyone else but her, like a window to a house with shut curtains that only she could see through. Grunting the young servant stands back up, yawning gently to herself as she glances around the vacant hallway.  
"What should I do now…" she whispers, stopping after a few minutes to examine an expensive looking ornamental katana. Placed on a hook on the wall while it shimmers elusively, slowly her eyes start to sparkle while she reaches out to touch it. Carefully Kasa proceeds to run her index finger lightly along the blade, skimming across the edge and flinching back her hand swiftly. Turning her hand over she holds out her wounded finger, a thin streak of blood beginning to blotch on her finger print.

Taking the stinging cut to her lips she sucks on the 'boo-boo' with a small pout, and she had thought paper cuts were bad. From the distant hallway a posh voice speaks up to be heard; the bitter 'I know better' tone ringing in her ears like a tiny cage full of cicadas, one that she was regrettably trapped inside with.  
"You shouldn't touch that, you might stain it with your filthy blood, and they wont be happy" the feminine voice declares, disturbing the silence with her voice and expensive clicking of high heel. Turning her head around Kasa looks into the eyes of a shorter woman, this new figure now standing right by her side - a scowl upon her olive skin.  
"Filthy blood?" the servant politely replies, trying not to make the woman angrier than she already seemed to be.

Wiping the blood off with a hanky the young mouse bows her head apologetically; she could now feel her nerves screaming by this point, as the prince had reappeared.  
"What are you doing?" the spiky haired master questions, directed to the servant with a fermenting glare. The woman smirking, but she clearly didn't like Madara having his attention only on her. Soon enough she had been shaking off the pest, in an attempt to take the Uchiha's attention away from Kasa.  
"Who is this, Tono Madara-Hidenka?" she snidely enquires, looking her up and down with a 'charming' smile. Carefully the mouse re-ducks her head, welcoming the prince into the conversation.  
"Just a slave. Wench?" Madara snaps with his brow raised, her white ears pricking up and her eyes averting to his own weakly. "Go make my guest tea. Now" he orders, snapping his fingers together as the young mouse sheepishly bows her head another time. Scuttling off in any direction possible, Madara's voice booms as she turns and runs the opposite way, to where ever the kitchen must be.  
"Is she new?" the woman asks, watching the servant in amusement.

However the prince did not seem very pleased, watching her with hidden embarrassment but a calm expression.  
"Yes…" the lord states harshly, his eyes becoming livid as he sees the servant running back without his order. The instant she stops her head is smacked down, her white hair flung like a head bang while the bells rattle violently.  
"W-what tea would you like? Ue-Shi" the mouse gasps, clearly out of breath from running around so much. Staying still she keeps her head tucked downwards to look at their feet, the woman's lips pursing together into a smug smile.  
"Surprise me, oh. And my name is Lady Pendragon" she states, Pendragon looking down on the servant from the tip of her nose as her head rises. Something making Kasa's head tilt to one side before she bows once more.  
"Would you like something on the side? And should I put the milk in with the tea, or in a small pot?" the young Animan seems to be listing possible ideas to her self, much rather than to the person wanting the tea.

Slowly her head shakes as she laugh, Madara staying his same calm self throughout the whole act.  
"Milk and tea? We are upper class, not some street vermin" Pendragon giggles, cupping her lips with her hand while flicking her eyelashes. Cautiously Kasa straightens up, rubbing her shoulder while she smiles sincerely.  
"Forgive me, Touji Pendragon-Ue" the albino states, turning and swiftly trotting back down the corridor to get on with what she had been ordered to do. Forgetting any kind of polite, and etiquette, manners for that moment in time. After fifteen minutes the young mouse finally appears, smiling softly to a maid as she walks in with her. "Thank you for the help, Bokunakama-san" coming towards the table she pauses, the teapots and cups rattling almost invisibly while she walks.

After close examination they could see a red ribbon around her finger, protecting where she had cut herself on the sword from before.  
"It was about time you came back" the green haired woman huffs, crossing her legs as the servant puts down the tea. Backing up carefully to wrap her hand around the handle carefully, lifting it up slowly and tilting it against the small cups to pour the tea.  
"The Bokunakoma told me that this is a fine Chinese tea called 'Tieguanyin'. It was imported this morning" the mouse flicking her finger up with her eyes raised to the ceiling, reading out what she had memorised in her head from earlier. Glancing to the rich looking Persian cat she sips the tea, smiling happily to the taste.  
"Truly exquisite, Tono Madara-Hidenka. You truly have divine taste" Pendragon seductively smiles, leaning her elbow onto the wooden table to watch him drink from the cup and agree fully. About him having great taste, rather than the tea being splendid. From what the young mouse could deduct, this prince thought highly of himself and was somewhat arrogant. He always looked as if he was hiding something, the way he crossed his arms and put on his expressions like make-up. It made Madara look fake, but it seemed to be apparent to her alone.

Whimpering shortly Kasa freezes when something runs into, and latches, onto her thigh; her eyes casting down to look at Naruto. Gently her cheeks start to tickle a rosy colour, his large azure eyes making her gasp with awe. Unlike her he had been staring up with an unsure expression, this slowly disappearing when he recognises her.  
"Good morning, Naruto-sama" she gently speaks, rubbing his blond curls with an adoring smile. Only seconds later however she had found herself being pounced by Sasuke as well, Pendragon on the other hand scowls at the sight of the children.  
"Where did these. Children. Come from?" she asks, trying not to seem irritated by their presence. From nowhere another dark and rich voice appears, everyone looking to another table where a dark weasel sits. His frosty crimson eyes watching them, as he sips from his own cup of herbal tea. Casually he looks over at the venom haired woman, whom was trying to smile at him sweetly.

From the way his expression becomes placid after only a seconds glance, it was obvious that he could see through it.  
"My little brother, and his play mate" he calmly replies, Pendragon warily biting her tongue mentally while trying to keep the weak smile. A short lived giggle parting her lips as she tilts her head, looking over at the two boys who had started using the servant as a shield.  
"Oh, he's very cute" she calmly informs them, turning her eyes away for a moment and almost choking on her words.  
"Hime-Ouken, play with us!" Sasuke orders, the mouse tilting her head and laughing nervously.  
There was no need to give her such a high ranking name; she was a servant, not a royalty. Staring at her expectantly he only receives a bright blush and a teary eyed expression, the woman trying to hold back the urge to give him a bone crushing cuddle.

After half a minute of silence she finally nods, standing with her tail slithering back and forth.  
"What will we play?" she questions, while watching from the corner of the room the masters, and the guest, spy. One of the boys holding up what seemed to be a sword and shield, while another pretends to have a staff to cast magic. Getting the drift she smiles then bares her 'fangs', pretending to roar and curl her fingers into claws. Chomping at them as she gets onto her knees in a silly fashion, her tail sloshing back and forth quickly then shaking slowly from right to left.  
Stilling she watches them, roaring when they swing their attacks at her. Swiping then making another weird noise, grunting when they 'stab' her in the stomach. Suddenly both boys jump back to watch her reach out a claw and stick her tongue out, slowly sinking down further against the stone floor until Kasa makes a gargling sound. Her entire front flopping over with a thump onto her stomach, her tail being the last to hit the ground with a jingling rattle of her bells; her body now lifeless and still against the icy floor.

Both children placing a foot on her back in triumph, readying their final plight of victory for all the watchful eyes.  
"The dragon has been slain by the famous Kensei Sasuke, and his trusty Shimobe, Usuratonkachi!" Sasuke yells with a childish grin, holding up his wooden sword as the mouse fakes a groan. Stilling to attempt too playing dead fully, as both boys sit on her proudly.  
"Arg you got me, my power is draining…nooo…Bleck" the servant giggles, keeping her eyes closed while Naruto and Sasuke pout and prod her where it tickles, causing her to twitch.  
"Dead things don't talk!" they shout in unisons as the 'dragon' only smiles, still sprawled down on the floor, her ears pricking up to hear what's being said to her.  
"You're very good with children" Pendragon states outwardly, acting impressed as the albino shifts her tail slowly like a snake at the young boys blind spots. The long and sleek pink appendage creeping ever closer before it darts forward, swiftly spinning snugly around Sasuke's waist. Carefully the strong tail starts lifting him up and off into the air with a gasp, the small blond boy wrapping his arms around her neck for dear life as she sits up.

After a few careful minutes of procedure, the mouse sets the miniature Uchiha back down, firmly on the ground. The small duck blinking in utter confusion, trying to figure out how he had lost dominance over the beast. Flinching with surprise when he finds Naruto dangling upside down right in front of him, a large grin on his face as he glances towards the ghostly pale servant. Soon the defeated dragon whispers something to the boys, both of them glancing at each other followed by a nod with cocky grins.  
"We rev…reviv…come back to life!" Naruto chants, knocking Kasa on the head with his fake staff. The young woman pretending to take a needed breath of air, a smile creeping up her lips sweetly for both of the boys. Carefully her tail begins to uncoil from around the blonds waist, letting him drop beside Sasuke on the floor gently.  
"I wouldn't say I'm good with children, Touji Pendragon-Ue " she finally replies, after moments of acting out for the boys.

Both of which getting up to run off moments later, leaving her sitting about rather happily on the floor.  
"It's quiet…lets talk about something interesting. Achievements perhaps? I have won model of the year, 4 years in a row" Pendragon smiles in a flirting manner towards Madara, trying to grab his attention that was steadily being given only to the servant on the ground.  
"Easy enough, I have single handily helped banks across Japan. Soon I'll be working with England." Kakuzu secondly states happily, Hidan and others rolling their eyes at his typical comment. Turning her head the mouse glances at all of the lords, she hadn't noticed that any of them had even entered the room.

Slowly she had started to tilt her head to look at the ground, unsure if her presence was accepted at this moment in time.  
"I am one of the best priest in the country" the albino noble priest smugly grins, proudly playing with his pendant while Deidara laughs. At least she recognised most of them, her reputation and records with them was also clean - which meant she hadn't done anything just yet to make them hate her.  
"I am the greatest clay artist of this century, un" Deidara chants, the mouse glancing up from her hair to see a redheaded scorpion glare at him.  
"I'm the best performing arts puppeteer of this century" his achievement aimed at Deidara as they lock eyes, and then begin glaring evilly at each other.  
"What's your greatest achievement?" Pendragon asks, sipping from her expensive tea. Her emerald eyes turning to look over at the sitting servant, who seems more interested in what everyone else had to say.  
"Oh, uh…I haven't really done anything amazing" the albino softly replies, her long fingers fiddling with the ends of the white dress.

Her mind trailing off back into thought, she hadn't really done anything astonishing before.  
"Everyone's done something, surely there's something that you're proud of?" Pendragon questionably notes in a proud manner, the young moonlight servant glancing back up at her with an unsure expression.  
"Something I'm proud of…" Kasa ponders, rubbing the back of her arm and then sighing, shaking her head calmly. "I have nothing to be proud of either…" the servant had tried her best to think, the cat however doesn't give up and presses for an answer.  
"Have you ever met anyone -important- ?" slowly her ears rise, a tiny smile drifting up her lips. Her crystal blue eyes becoming at peace, her eyes clouding over with the thoughts going around in her head.

The sheer sight made her look as if she was madly in love with someone, just the thought of them making her melt like a vanilla ice-cream on the floor.  
"Well…I did dance with a f once…" she begins, Pendragon almost choking on her tea. Her green eyes becoming large at the unsuspected comment, a new kind of sarcastic awe in her voice.  
"You danced with an irreplaceable Hidenka?" the others can't help but smirk behind sleeves, the younger boys creeping closer in awe.  
"Does that mean you've met a foreign Kouhi?" Sasuke's mouth widens as he stares at the servant, her head nods only making both boys eyes sparkle more.  
"She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen" the albino smiles softly, her eyes becoming even more dazzled by the second as both boys clamber closer and closer to her.  
"Wow! Did you talk to her?" Naruto questions, rather like a policeman interrogating a suspect. Which was at this moment in time Kasa.  
"I was there when my Otosama was knighted, and I heard her speak…but never directly to me" the servant smiles, thinking back to the time she had been standing by the steps. Watching him kneel and be bestowed with the powerful title, it is only then broken by fits of laughter.  
"You, and your family? Close to a Kouhi?" Pendragon laughs hysterically at the thought, rubbing her tear jerked eyes and trying to take back in any air she could grasp. "What else did you do? Eat at the table, lobster and fine wine?" Pendragon and the others start chuckling, the servant could only dumbly bite her cheek however.  
"Well, yes. We sat close to the Tenno and Kouhi, both Hidenka at the opposite side of the table, and all of the Ouken and Kensei around us" the servant states in a listed manner, Naruto and Sasuke yanking at her for more attention.

While the others seem to have died from the laughing, her head turning to look at them curiously.  
"We believe you! What was your Otosama like?" Sasuke and Naruto both chant in unison, the young servants smiling and cheerful face fading slightly.  
"He was a kind man, he would often make me sit up at all hours of the night. Just so we could drink as much wine as possible. Every morning he would wake up with a big smile, and if you didn't smile back and mean it - he would threaten to get out of his chair, and chase you with his walking stick" the servant giggles, running her fingers gently over the top of hand, looking downwards. "I remember…I tripped over all of the time when I was around him. He'd always laugh at me, and call me a new born foal. Only because I could never stay standing for long, it always surprised him to how I could dance with him though. I had never once stepped on his feet when he twirled me, or flung me out by my hand to the music in the large hall" she laughs to her self, making Naruto dance a little like a puppet on strings.  
"Why aren't you with him right now?" Sasuke questions rather confused to it all, Kasa pausing to look back down at her long nails.  
"Well I suppose we grew apart, I do talk to him now and again though, so I don't feel too lonely" she smiles again, forgetting anyone around her but the two boys closest to her.  
"So this is your first proper job?" Pendragon raises a finely premed eyebrow, looking at her with hidden disgust.  
"Well yes and no, my Mamahaha made me work around the castle" she carefully concludes, shaking off the thoughts in her head to try rid herself of her past. The room falling silent as Madara stares silently as usual, only listening to the conversations around him.

Eventually the servant gets up off the ground, her hip clicking back into place when she stretches from sitting down for so long. Her eyes casting onto the tea tray while she bows her head, taking the pots and cups from the table. "Shall I bring more Tieguanyin tea, Hidenka-Ue?" Madara ignores her and keeps his eyes fazed away from the servant, Pendragon raising an eyebrow to the expression before looking at Kasa with a protective stare.  
"No, we're fine" Pendragon states, the servant making her way to the oak door. "Would anyone like to take me for a walk around the castle, I have not seen all of it" the green haired woman enquires, her voice directed completely at Madara.  
"Well I am tiered, whoa look at the time, un!" Deidara shouts eagerly, getting up and shifting as fast as possible. Soon enough everyone was yawning and nodding, anyone close by grabbing the children as they make a break for it. Soon all that is left in the room is Pendragon and the Uchiha's, Itachi was never one to run; or perhaps he was frozen in fear.

Coming back in Kasa waves the others off while smiling at both children looking over the adults shoulders, still unsure to what was happening.  
"Shall we?" Pendragon ushers to Madara, his eyes still fixed forwards, deep in thought.  
"Are you okay, Hidenka-Ue?" the albino mouse asks in a sincere manner, tilting her head but not moving from where she is standing. "Touji Pendragon-Ue?" her eyes moving to the other woman's, but she only gets a shrug, the cat was in utter confusion as well. "Should I get a Dokutoru?" the young woman enquires, flinching all of a sudden when she is cut off by Madara. Whom snaps up in his chair with a dithered expression, the look leaving everyone quivering in their expensive designer boots.  
"No I am fine, wench. Leave, you are not needed" the raven states, and for some reason Madara doesn't dare look at his slave. Nervous by the sudden tone the young girl stutters, bowing and leaving quickly. Pendragon raising an eyebrow, deciding it to be best that she left the conversation at where it stood.

Fidgeting with her white dress Kasa stands aimlessly in front of a door, the entry way to what she could only guess to be a meeting room. She had been singing to try calm her nerves, it wasn't working as well as she would have hoped however.  
~It's something I don't see, and he's looking at me now. What he can't see is that I'm looking through his eyes, so many lies behind his eyes. This is my Poison Prince, you'll be knocking on heaven's door. Some kind of Poison Prince, your like is like a maze. Who said life was easy, who said life was fair. Who said nobody gives a damn, and nobody even cares.~  
For some reason this went through her head, everytime she saw Madara. Why she wasn't sure, but it seemed to describe him in ways.

Her gut had started to wretch and twist itself into knots, she wasn't sure where to go. The worry getting worse when there are heavy footsteps behind her, turns her head to see it was the prince. Blinking she hadn't expected him to come up here, in fact she was pretty sure no one came up here but the cleaning staff most of the time. Now that he was in range she leans near the wall, as she was informed to do; bowing her head as he walks by. "I told you to go do something else" he growls lowly, the servant flicking her ears back nervously.  
"I-I didn't want to intrude into this room…in-case there was a meeting being held" she gulps, her stomach had started to become agonising, as if she hadn't eaten in months.

Raising his eyebrow he pushes open the large, and heavy door.  
"This is my sleeping chambers, wench" Madara states, his tone a little lighter than before. Stepping out from the wall Kasa blinks, peering inside of the room to glances around. There was a large double bed in the centre, right up against the wall. Above it there was a large self portrait of the prince, however everything else was barren. There were no clothes to be seen, or pictures. The only thing she could see was a large window with a balcony, and a tall mirror for the prince to admire his reflection in.  
If someone hadn't been told whom owned this room, they would have mistook it for an empty suite that was not needed; or was used by guests that came to the castle. Saying nothing to the prince she watches him carefully, she didn't want to provoke any kind of anger towards her.

Turning around he watches her, his dark scarlet orbs scarring her soul.  
"A-are you sure you are feeling well? I can get a nurse or-" the woman trails off, as the leader suddenly growls bitterly.  
"I am fine, I have told you and the others already!" he venomously barks, slitting his eyes and flicking his ears at her. "Why does everyone keep asking me if I am 'okay'?" the prince begins in a low lining monotone, watching his servant wincing under his iron tone.  
"If you are feeling well, then I will not presuade the question" Kasa states, bowing her head to apologise to the prince. Standing up she clasps her hands together, in front of her dress.  
During which not once did his icy gaze connect with the innocent eyes of his servant, she wasn't sure what was wrong with him however. He seemed to suddenly go from cold and collected, to tense and somewhat anxious. Inside her head everything was pounding, screaming violently at her; as it repeats the words, 'Bid him goodnight', 'Leave'.

~[The way you're acting now, like you left that all behind. You've given up, you've given in, another sucker of that slime. Some kind of Poison Prince, and what we all want and what we all crave. Who said life was fair?]~ Kasa winding the song through her head, to try stop her having a nervous breakdown right in front of him. Slowly her ears start to droop, her tail being supported by the ground while she starts to relax on her heels. Sighing gently while her body droops further, the prince moving closer to question this sudden change in her.  
"What are you doing?" he questions, trying not to hiss out and give her a fright. However this does not work, as she tenses and straightens up. Her eyes growing wide, while she ducks down her head into a fast and formal bow.  
"Forgive me, Hidenka-Ue. I... was just glad that you are not ill" the young mouse lies, hoping he is not annoyed by someone pitying him. Slowly she had faded into the back of her mind, which was not the best thing to do when being confronted by a royal.

In the faded distance she could hear something, it sounded like someone speaking however she could not hear it. It sounded like she was submerged in water, her tails bells piercing the silence sharply in front of the blurred sounds. Trying to focus in on the voice she cannot find the strength, the white noise attempting to boom loudly in her ears a second time. Forcing her eyes open to a weak slit, she stares at the boots of the prince.  
"I know you are paid to -pretend- to be worried about me, so do not insult my intelligence by trying to lie" the prince had been stating, surprisingly he hadn't actually been yelling. Kasa's mouth locked and staying at an ajar state, her head hung on her shoulders.  
"Forgive me, Hidenka-Ue..." the mouse states, afraid that he might lash out at her out of irritation. From where the prince stood he could see her snow white skin becoming grey, the jungle of vein all over her body rising up before fading away. Casually Madara watches with a smirk, he could tell he was terrifying her.  
"Pathetic vermin…next time I might not be so merciful. Now get out of my sight! If I see you again unless I summon you, I will personally see to it that your heart is ripped out and given to Kakuzu. Your flesh ripped from your bones, and given to the dogs!" the prince howlers, watching the worthless slave scramble like a new born calf. Falling and stumbling through the hallway, trying to escape and hide from the world, from this castle.

Every fear she had had started playing tormenting lullabies, the fear shuddering and jerking through her expressions and hitched breaths. Eventually Kasa smacks right into a corner at the end of a long and narrow corridor, the flickering lights being her only source of comfort. Tears flooding her eyes until even the end of her nose is blurred by the trickling tears, her hands clutched to her elbows while she rubs them ferociously for emotional warmth.  
The watering tears staining her cheeks, while drying into her knuckles and finger. Picking up her tail to pull it closer towards her body she stares at the chiming bells, her pupils dilating when she pulls them closer to her face. Sniffing softly the young mouse pulls a hanky out, rubbing it against her delicate nose and sticky cheeks. Letting her tail drop it clinks off the ground, her knees drawn closer towards her thighs while she stares into the darkness.  
When they said work inside a castle was daunting, and scary, she hadn't expected it to be like this. Far from it in fact.


	6. Chapter 5

Sitting there until the sunlight fades away in the distance she flicks her ears weakly, she could hear the parties music downstairs blaring. Everyone would be there by now but her, not that she ever wanted to go in the first place. If she went now everyone would see a weak and vulnerable mess; no matter who it was, this was the kind of Kasa she wanted no one to see.  
It had been heart pillaging enough to show someone like the prince, she had a disdain for that satisfied expression plastered onto his face. No one would see that side of her, they could all just be happy with the shy jumpy side she couldn't help having. For a few minutes the mouse stood up and stared at the stone wall, pacing the corridor at a staggered and feeble pace until she finally comes to the window. Leaning against the wall with her hand she attempts to regain her balance, the lonely corridors and silent space being taken advantage of by her.  
"What in Kami's name have I got my self into…" she mumbles, pacing the icy and dim corridor without much thought.

After an hour or so she finds a familiar door, it looked like the one she had went into from that night she got locked outside. Or so the mouse thought because on opening it there was no library, instead there was a luxurious bathroom suite. Shaking her head she leaves it down to her being distraught and dazed about the new situation, making sure as not to dwindle on it any longer she enters the room. Locking it behind herself as she goes further inside, there was a large bathtub perched and surrounded by petals all around it.  
On a rack there is shampoo sitting around that smells sickly sweet while it draws her further in, kneeing and reaching out she touches the water to see that it was surprisingly hot. Stepping back she looks at the door, if she got caught using someone's bath they would surely hang her. Calculating in her mind she looks at the bathtub slyly, there wouldn't be anyone around until late into the morning.

Sighing she throws her dress off, jumping in and swirling about to ease the tension and guilt inside of her. Soon enough she was lathering in the shampoo and bath soaps, using a bottle with a special liquid, that would soothe the aching in her neck, carelessly. Once satisfied she begins relaxing in the hot water, her white ears flicking droplets of water around the area. Playing with her toes for a little while she soon stops, yawning in a dreary fashion before dunking her head under the water. Rising back up she purrs like a cat, unlike the bath in her room this one had self-heated water. So instead of having to boil her own hot water in a kettle she could just pour it in, and then let life takes its time on her skin.

~I'm not a Hime, this isn't a fairytale. This isn't a story book, this is a small town. I was a dreamer before you went and let me down, maybe I was naïve; I got lost in somebody else's eyes, and never really had a chance~ Kasa sings, letting her voice ring like a bell. Getting out of the soothing bath and re-dressing the angelic white mouse walks down the echoing hallway, letting her voice ring as loud as she pleases. From where she stood no one would hear her, not with the music up so loud and everyone talking in yells all of the time.

~There's something about the way the street looks when it's just rained, there's a glow on the pavement and I don't know how it gets better than this. You take my hand and drag me headfirst, and I don't know why but with you I'd dance. Dance in a storm in my best dress~ spinning on her tip toes, she puts one hand out and bends it towards her like a ballerina might. Her other arm neatly out stretched with her fingers elegantly moving with her feet. The white dress rising and falling with her twirls, her long petal pink tail ringing a tune to keep her in beat.

~It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen, all dressed in white going to the castle that night. She had her box of threads and needles in the bag, sixpence in a shoe, something borrowed, something new~ drifting past another door people had been inside, she hadn't noticed them however. At the moment Kasa hadn't been singing anything in particular, her mind drifting words as they float past her mind.

~I don't know what I want, so don't ask me cause I'm still trying to figure it out. I don't know what's down this road, I'm just walking - trying to see through the rain coming down. Even though I'm not the only one who feels the way I do, I'm alone, on my own, and that's all I know. I'll be strong, I'll be wrong, oh but life goes on. I'm just a girl trying to find a place in this world~ twirling in a world of her own she turns another corner, unknown to her that people were now following close by.  
~And I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve, feeling lucky today, I've got the sunshine. Could you please tell me what more do I need, and tomorrow's just a mystery, oh yeah - but that's okay. Maybe I'm just a girl on a mission, but I'm ready to fly~ flapping her hands playfully she skips, hopping from one foot to the other as if she were playing hopscotch. Stopping she glances at a picture of Madara, pouting and glancing at something else.

~And it's a sad picture, the final blow hit you. Somebody else gets what you wanted again, you know it's all the same, another time and place. Repeating history and you're getting sick of it but I believe in whatever you do, and I'll do anything to see it through. Because these things will change, can you feel it now? These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down, this revolution, the time will come. For us to finally win, we sing hallelujah, we sing hallelujah!~ she used to be a church mouse, they would put her up onto the quire stand every night. She wasn't religious, she just wanted her voice to bring people happiness and it seemed to do that. Twirling again she shifts her tail down, heading to the stairs to wander back up and repeat another cycle of wandering around.

However before she can move anywhere something had gripped her tail, freezing she could feel every nerve in her body sparking.  
"Hime-Ue, you should be at the party" a voice starts, turning around she looks to a maid.  
"I-I'm not a Hime, I'm a Bokunakama" she laughs nervously, thankful that it wasn't Madara who had caught her.  
"Oh, sorry…You... couldn't do us a favour?" blinking she questions the maid, glancing down the hallway at a few others.  
"We need someone to sing, our entertainment guest is running late" gasping the mouse shakes her hands, she wanted nothing to do with that party. Not when the person who owns it was the prince, he'd tear her apart.  
"I…I can't. I haven't sung in front of people since I was fifteen" the young mouse plights, the maids grabbing at her arms and shaking their heads in unisons.  
"Nonsense, we'll put you up on the dark pew. No one will have to see you!" dragging her towards the music Kasa squeaks madly, struggling weakly against the strong people plowing her across the floor. Music and cheering now heard so clearly even through the closed door as the albino woman is led closer, stopping she murmurs to herself rather worriedly but the maids behind her keep pushing forwards.

Reaching out she struggles until she's pushed far into a dark room, any source of light she had being blocked when the door is slammed shut. Rubbing her self down she mumbles, glancing around the room and then to a curtain. Peeking out she could see the chandelier across from her, poking her head out she could see everyone dancing below. The lights casting against the floor the way she had described them, timidly she lets the curtain shut again.  
According to a slip of paper she was to sing as loud as she pleased, the room would echo her voice perfectly for the ballroom to dance to. On the bottom there was a criteria, rubbing her chin she sits thinking for a while. What was she supposed to sing to a party of nobles, princes and princesses from other countries? Hearing the music dull she gets up, gulping and listening for her signal to start.

~Kiss me out of the bearded barley, nightly, beside the green, green grass. Swing, swing, swing the spinning step. You wear those shoes, and I will wear that dress. Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight, lead me out on the moonlit floor. Lift your open hand, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance - silver moon's sparkling. So kiss me~ Kasa sings, trembling her hands nervously as the music plays the similar tune. It sounded like no one was complaining however, peaking out on the pause she could see everyone dancing.  
~Kiss me down by the broken tree house, swing me upon it's hanging tire. Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat. We'll take the trail marked on your fathers map. Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight. Lead me out on the moonlit floor, lift your open hand. Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon's sparkling. So kiss me~ watching the couples hold hands and twirl she blushes, taking a breather and carrying on with a bit more confidence.  
~Kiss me beneath the milky twilight, lead me out on the moonlit floor. Lift your open hand, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance, silver moon's sparkling. So kiss me~ ducking back to sit down she flicks her ears up, they were actually clapping for her?

Even though they weren't looking at her she was gushing by now, a servant coming in with their thumb up. While another holds out a request, reading it over she nods slowly. At least she wasn't going down there, that would probably embarrass her and possibly get her killed. Biting at her top lip she glances at her feet, apparently the leader was making a speech between songs. This was to be an up-beat song, one to get the people moving. Something asked of by a group from a place in England, they sounded a lot more fun than the traditional dancers of Japan anyway.

~I've got a man with two left feet and when he dances down to the beat, I really think that he should know that his rhythms go, go, go. I got a man with two left feet and when he dances down to the beat, I really think that he should know that his rhythms go, go, go~ she sings, she had never sang like this before either. She hoped it was okay for them, it would be bad if they were dissatisfied. ~Does he wash up? Never wash up. Does he clean up? No, he never cleans up. Does he brush up? Never brushed up. He does nothing, the boy does nothing. Hey boy, how you been? I got a thousand lines, where do I begin? And I, I been here, been there travelling, I saw you at the corner, my vibe kicked in!~ moving her feet she clicks her fingers together, poking out to see everyone actually spinning about and doing the strangest dance moves possible.

~And two fields, I clock you wearing tight trousers and real nice suit. I asked him for a dance, he said 'yes please'. Take a sip of dancing juice, everybody's onto you. Through the left and to the right, everybody hit the rhythm it's on tonight. I'm gonna feel the beat within my soul I need a man to take control, let the melody blow you all away~ she could hear people clapping to her rhythm, clearly they were enjoying themselves at least. ~Does he wash up? Never wash up. Does he clean up? No, he never cleans up. Does he brush up? Never brushed up. He does nothing, the boy does nothing. Work it out now, work it, work it out now. Do the mambo, shake it all around now, everybody on the floor let me see you clap your hands~ waving her tail and hips she grins toothily, this had taken her mind off everything for now.

~I wanna see you work, I wanna see you move your body and turn. I wanna see you shake your hips and learn, I wanna see you work it, work it, work it out now. Does he wash up? And if the man can't dance, he gets no second chance. And if the man can't dance, he gets no second chance~ gasping she drops back down onto the chair, smiling wearily to the cheering and clapping.  
Listening to the prince praise her along with a few of the nobles she leans back, shutting her eyes with a weak sigh. Flicking her ears up she gulps, they wanted her to show her face to the party. Sitting there she looks from the curtain to the door, going out onto stage would be the worst idea she could think of. Even if the prince was mad they couldn't tell it was her, they hadn't seen her face. Opening the door she starts running, skidding past whom she presumed to be the actual presenter for that evening.  
"The Hidenka wants you on stage straight away, he has been going berserk!" pushing her escape goat towards the door she nods, going inside unknown to the fact that she had just saved a little mouse's life. Scrambling away from the door Kasa calms down, there was no way anyone would figure it out now.

Slowing down to a still walk the woman glances around, it was about time she went to bed. Before anything else went wrong, at least she had a nice evening. It made up for what happened that afternoon, she was just thankful he didn't kill her. Fading into her candle lit room she lights each wax object slowly, her nimble body going into the bathroom to sit by the wall and look outside. Only this small room had a window, it annoyed her but at least it blocked out the resonating sounds. Even though it was dark she could see clouds in the sky, and the stars glowing against them even though they were far away.  
Slipping down and into the bath she curls up, staring at the glowing sky with weary eyes. She'd never slept in a tub before, it was big enough for her and wasn't as uncomfortable as one would have thought. Reaching out she grabs a fluffy white towel, putting it over her like a cover while she uses a sponge as a pillow. Soon she was snoring loudly, her mouth hung open as she escapes realty for just a short time. She just wished dreams weren't gone in a blink of an eye, it would be nice if the darkness stayed in her vision for as long as she liked.

Regrettably the time she wished would last longer was soon close to ending, the birds chirping outside and the sun bouncing off the silver and iron bathtub. Its radiant beams hitting her in the face and making the mouse squirm, the painful light hitting her eyes no matter show she kicked and tossed about. Crying out she sits up, pressing her knuckles against her eyes with a whimper.  
"Finally!" a chirpy voice states, the mouse jumping and bashing her knee off of a metal tray for her soap. Twisting her head with wide eyes she looks at Tobi, her frightened expression increasing in confusion to how he had gotten in. How long had he been sitting there, watching her sleeping? "I've been waiting for ages…that dress looks adorable on you" the Uchiha states sweetly, watching the albino mouse blush and scrunch her body back down onto the baths bottom. Gradually her heads starts to bob back up, squeaking when gloved hands reach in after her.

Grabbing her out of the bathtub he carries her through to the bedroom, putting her on the bed while he fidgets with something. His back being placed towards her while she pouts, Tobi must really like carrying her - or touching her for that matter. The moment he got a chance he would try to hug her, but he did that with everyone so it seemed ordinary. Holding out a new dress the young albino mouse tilts her ears, staring at the garment in confusion.  
"I want you to wear it, we're going to the zoo today. Because you're well behaved we've decided to bring you with us" the warrior states, twitching his ears. The statement had caused Kasa to begin too stare at him with shock, what? In her opinion she didn't deserve to go on a day trip with them, it would be inappropriate for her to go in the first place.  
"But Hidenka Tobi-Kensei, I can't…I'm a Shimobe. I don't des-" she plights, the orange masked warrior putting a finger to her lips.

Silencing her and holding out the dress, she could sense he had a precarious smile on his face as he did it.  
"We discussed this at a meeting, you were chosen officially, just like all the other Shimobe that are going. And please, call me Tobi-Ue. You're as cute as a button when you talk so formally" cuddling her she blushes further, no one had been this nice to her. It frightened her somewhat and made her question if it was all an act, no royals were this nice. Not many anyway, but then again she had met quite a few here in the castle.  
"T-thank you, Hidenka Tobi-Kensei" she plights, bowing her head as he grunts softly.  
Clearly it would take some persuasion to get the servant to say such a thing, Tobi was practically a prince so how could she associate him with any lower ranks? Slipping into the new dress it was basically the exact same as her white one, except it was backwards. The white was now the bows and string, while the lustrous red was the dresses fabric. Following Tobi in her little red boots she could hear something, someone was yelling impatiently up the stairs. Apparently the prince was calling for Tobi, and that's when everything came flooding back into her mind.

Gulping she stops, the expression of fear making the raven noble pause to stare. He hadn't seen such an expression from anything less than a foal about to get eaten, just from the way she flinched he could tell it was the prince causing such a disturbance. Kasa was usually a sweet natured individual, and always had a happy go lucky personality but not now. Now it was cowering in a corner like her tail was behind her legs, taking her hand he squeezes it.  
"Don't be frightened, I'll protect you" looking up at the orange swirl she had already started trembling, her ears flat against her head as he pouts. What ever the prince had done to her was worse than death itself, wagging his tail and shifting his ears as he wraps his arms around her. Squeezing her against him while scratching behind her large yet delicate disc shaped ears, the young mouse panicking at the contact. "It'll be okay, Hime-Ouken" now Tobi had started calling her such a name, it was understandable for Sasuke since he was younger and wouldn't know such things. But for an elder of the Uchiha family to say that was perplexing, resting her head against his icy green armour she stays silent.

The shaking calming down until it is barely noticeable, sniffing her hair Tobi grins. "You smell just as pretty as you look, and just like a rare flower I'll protect you. I am a Kensei, as you have stated firmly" blushing a soft pastel pink the servant trails behind him, his arm reached behind him as he holds her delicate hand. Letting go at the end of the corridor to bounce out in his usual bubbly fashion, only cautiously the albino pokes her head out to glance around. Stepping out further she could see that Madara and everyone else were standing aimlessly in the hallway, all staring at Tobi with miffed intent.  
"Kami-sama you take your time, where were you?" Konan asks in an annoyed childish fashion, Kasa hiding behind the other flurries of bright coloured dresses that the maids were wearing.  
"I was on the top floor…" Tobi states squeamishly, carefully looking them in the eyes to make sure they believed him. After a moment the blue haired woman rolls her violet eyes, tossing her head to the side as everyone shifts towards the door.  
"We're going to the zoo, since you're already dressed we can FINALLY go!" Kisame grumbles being first to jolt out along with Naruto and Sasuke, the mouse delaying behind until everyone else leaves the sanctum and unsafe walls of the castle.

Stepping casually without a word her bells jingle in the wind while as her tail twitches, soon enough sinking with her hips down the hill. At the very bottom there were large carriages, held by horses as the guards help people in. Getting into one of them with the other servants, she watches the pristine castle fading away over the hills and embankments. Trees all around them keeping her occupied outside of the confined window, every so often a horse would pass them by with a guard on its back.

Mumbling under her breath her silvery-blue eyes trail the road by the wheel, becoming hypnotised by the rocks and streaks of colour moving like snakes past her vision.  
"Ever been to a zoo before?" Naruto asks, trying to kill the awkward silence in the carriage. Because he wasn't a noble he had to sit in the back with them, but by the look on his face he couldn't quite complain. Turning her head with her chin still on her palm, the sun light slashes at her eyes and sensitive nose.  
"Not really, zoos…" soon enough her head turns to the window again, the silver slits around her eyes glowing gently but she smiles trying to keep a cheery mood. "The zoo sounds fun…erm I do have one question though" Kasa laughs, rubbing her cheek. After a moment she had remembered her pace and sparks into conversation again.  
"What is a 'zoo'?" the mouse's ear twitches as everyone stares silently, Naruto gasping in a rather marvelled manner. Mainly at about just how little she actually knew of 'fun', and 'entertainment' in general.  
"A zoo has lots of animals that you can see! And if you're lucky you can pet them, or even hold them!" the child chants enthusiastically, the mouse's tail shifting until the bell can be heard clearly. A quirky looking smile on her lips as she grabs the bell tightly in her fist.  
"R-really? Do they run about wild?" the woman questions, the servants and child laughing energetically and sniggering loudly.  
"No silly, they keep them in pens but they're really, really big!" Naruto chants with a chuckles, the woman blushing infamously before staring back out the window.  
"What are you looking at?" the boy would have went to see, if he hadn't been strapped in tightly to the seats with thick brown rope.

Waiting patiently the servant hadn't seemed to have heard him, the blonds chanting getting louder in an attempt to catch her attention.  
"S-sorry I…oh nothing, I was just looking at the buildings. That's all" she laughs nervously, rubbing the side of her hand and glancing from the side of her vision. Straight back outside again, the movement making Naruto pout.  
"But you're looking at something" he mumbles with arms crossed, the servant blinking and shifting to sit completely forward.  
"I'm…admiring that's all. I rarely get out side that's all" the mouse's forehead leaning close to the glass as it begins to fog up with her hot breaths, haplessly her finger trails the leather on the chair before she fidgets about. Beginning to tap a small tune over and over again, one that she had heard from a man in the nurses suite.

Soon they had come to a halt, the carriage doors being swung open for everyone to gets out. Inside the zoo the mouse like servant peers around, unsure of her surroundings and sticking close to the toured servants so as not to be near her any of the royals.  
"I want to see the duck pond!" Sasuke plights pulling to go faster, only to be dragged the opposite way to see the weasels instead by Kisame.  
"We'll see everything don't worry" Tobi cheerfully smiles to reassure the small child, Kasa slowly stepping behind them. Looking at the animals behind mesh and bars, if she got cursed like these people she just hoped they didn't stick her in a cage.  
"Was this really a good idea?" a slave murmurs under her breath, a lot of the maids had taken a disliking the albino ever since she joined.

Every girl stood a chance with Madara, and everyone had had theirs. They were amazed she was still walking about with that strawberry perfume, that was probably what made them wary. It wasn't like the prince to just leave fresh meat walking around, but maybe it was just a matter of time. Perhaps he just hadn't seen her around as much as any other maid.


End file.
